Ueno's motivation for joining the company and her driving force in her work was her desire to deeply move people's emotions through design. That's why she has always valued communication with people.

"From the moment I joined the company, I made it a point to face customers head-on. I wasn't confident at all back then," Ueno says with a smile.

"But I made every effort to see things from the customer's perspective and work together as 'one team' to create the office together." Thorough communication became one of Ueno's strengths within the company.

"If there was something I didn't understand, I would ask for advice; if I felt anxious, I would just chat. That's how I grew." And she says that there were always supportive seniors around her who responded to that need.

"If I'm going to propose an office that fosters communication, I think I should first embody that myself."

Ueno describes her own style as follows:

"I think of myself as a designer who's closer to sales. I value working closely with clients, understanding their feelings, and bringing their ideas to life." However, as she's gained more experience, she says she's also started to see the challenges ahead as she aims for the next level.

"I found it rewarding to carefully listen to our customers' voices and translate them into tangible spaces. However, as I gained more experience, I began to think, 'Could I offer even better suggestions?' and 'Could I deliver even more value to our customers?'"

For Ueno, communication skills were a major strength. On the other hand, around her fourth or fifth year at the company, she began to think about what she needed to do to grow further as a designer.

"I was confident in my ability to build relationships with customers. But I still couldn't see what was needed beyond that. I was thinking about how I could deliver even more value while leveraging my strengths."

While Ueno had achieved results in her own unique style, she was also searching for the direction of her next growth. Aiming for the next level as a designer, she continued to dedicate herself to her work.

While I was grappling with my own personal growth challenges, I went through a period where I wasn't achieving the results I wanted in competitions. Meanwhile, within the business unit, there was much discussion about the importance of sharing our success stories externally and gaining recognition from outside.

"I thought the most important thing was to listen to the voices of the customers in front of me and solve their problems. That's why, at first, I didn't really grasp how important it was."

However, the tide turned when a project he worked on won a certain award.

"Seeing how genuinely happy our customers were about receiving the award made me realize that external recognition also contributes to customer satisfaction. I also learned that third-party evaluation is essential for my own growth and the growth of the company."

"By pursuing even better designs, we can make our customers even happier. That's why I've come to believe that it's important to continuously improve our design expertise." Through this experience, Ueno says she has reaffirmed the value of continuously honing her design expertise, in addition to her communication skills.

"I'm in the midst of a growth spurt right now," Ueno says, describing her current position. Leveraging her strength in dialogue with clients, she transforms their ideas into better spaces. Ueno is now aiming for a new stage as a designer.

Ueno speaks positively: "It's tough, but it's fun. I feel happy when I'm recognized both inside and outside the company and when I can feel myself growing, and most importantly, I'm not alone."

"I have my seniors, my superiors, and everyone at the factory who always produces great products for me. I want to improve my skills through them, and even though I'm still at Itoki, I want to be evaluated based on my own skills, without relying on the company's name."

Building on her strength in communication, Ms. Ueno continues to challenge herself, aiming to create even greater value. Her journey is expanding new possibilities as a designer.